Illustration by Ryan Spahr.
Cable television is rife with ghost shows from “Ghost Adventures” to “Haunted Collector,” “Ghost Asylum” and others.
It’s as though you can’t click through the channels these days without hearing an otherworldly tale. The supernatural investigation phenomenon that has taken off over the past decade has likely fueled the interest in the paranormal, and this translates into a booming business for ghost tour operators.
Halloween month is especially busy for Gettysburg ghost guides. You can easily spot them donned in period clothing leading groups of curious folk around town to share their stories of strange and unusual occurrences.
This time of year is especially comfortable for walking around in the crisp fall air and enjoying the anticipation of what may lurk around the next corner. The small town of Gettysburg is big on options for getting your scare on.
Reign of Terror
I’m not sure why so many spooky tales involve children, but they do (I’ll personally never get over those creepy twin girls in “The Shining”).
“Ghostly Images” then is the perfect place to get the heebie-jeebies, taking place in a Civil War orphanage for Pete’s sake, which means that you might feel a little queasy before the program even begins.
The guide relates the story, which starts innocently enough.
An unknown Union soldier is discovered dead on the Gettysburg battlefield, clutching a ferrotype of his three little children. The picture runs in newspapers around the country as part of a nationwide effort to locate his family. After a period of about four months, the widow of Amos Humiston identifies the children in the picture as her own, and the mystery is solved.
Soon enough, prominent citizens are so moved by the story that they create the National Homestead for Orphans of the United States. It is decided that the Humiston’s widow will become the first headmistress, with his children the first residents. Fair enough, but the story doesn’t end there. According to “Ghostly Images” manager Joe Svehla, trouble began when the widow remarried and moved to Massachusetts, leaving the orphanage at the mercy of a cruel headmistress named Rosa Charmichael.
During the 90-minute tour, visitors learn the story of Charmichael’s reign of terror and are led to the basement where children were chained. Guests can inspect the table of toys that, according to guide Liz Lang, are often disturbed.
“Every few months we gather them up and put them back on the table,” she said.
Svehla makes sure to put this tragedy into historical perspective.
“We’ve tried to keep the story alive due to the good things that happened in the early years,” he said. “During that time, the children received a quality education—one that was superior to what could be attained in Adams County. We dedicated a plaque this year and painted a mural to let people know what the building was so many years ago. It was such a great place for a number of years, but ended on a bad note.”
“Ghostly Images” also offers a tour of the Jennie Wade House, which appears today much like it did 150 years ago. Wade is remembered as the only civilian to be killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, and the historic house provides guests with a perspective of what life was like when war wreaked havoc.
Visitors may be surprised to learn that Jennie Wade didn’t actually reside at the house, but was visiting her sister who had given birth during the battle. Through a cruel twist of fate, Wade was killed while making bread in the kitchen. Guests will view the holes from the bullet that pierced two doors before striking Wade. A guide leads guests to each of the three floors of the small house, including the basement where Jennie’s body was laid out while the war continued on around them.
On the Hunt
Johlene Riley clearly enjoys her job as the premier tour guide for Gettysburg Ghost Tours. Why else would her nickname be “Spooky?”
Riley leads thousands of visitors every year on an exploration of fields, homes and taverns in Gettysburg, educating as much as scaring.
“We pride ourselves on delivering a good combination of history and ghosts,” she said.
Riley and her guides conduct candlelight walking tours through town and on her special “ghost hunts.” She even offers instructions for those interested in conducting their own paranormal investigations.
Riley, who has had an interest in the paranormal since she was a child, has also penned several books on the subject.
“I feel as if it’s my calling,” she said.
Another ghost tour business features the Farnsworth House. Built in 1810, the inn is said to be haunted, and guests can learn of its rich history through theatric presentations like the “Victorian Mourning Theatre” held in the dark recesses of the candlelit basement. Intrepid tourists come from all over to learn more about the space that served as a temporary morgue during the Battle of Gettysburg.
Ghost tours aren’t just for those who have an interest in the paranormal. They are also a great way to learn the lay of the land by exploring out-of-the-way places within the safety of a group. Guides share historical information that is often intriguing and, if you’re not careful, you just might just learn something.
And when it comes to ghost tours—the more the merrier, so be sure to grab a few friends and enjoy the thrill of things that go bump in the night.
Ghostly Images is located at 777 Baltimore St., Gettysburg. To arrange a tour, call 717-334-1156 or visit www.gettysburgbattlefieldtours.com.
Gettysburg Ghost Tours is located at 47 Steinwehr Ave., Gettysburg and can be reached at 717-338-1818. Visit www.gettysburgghosttours.com to learn more.
The Farnsworth House Inn is located at 401 Baltimore St., Gettysburg. Tours can be arranged by calling 717-334-8838. Visit www.farnsworthhouseinn.com for more information.
Author: Stephanie Kalina-Metzger
